Impact18s I believe a lot of the same, bringing in some top dog coaching will help the BIG10 overall success...but some of the other schools still need to step up and open their pockets to improve their football programs.
Why has the SEC been so successful in recent years? The
whole darn conference spends and treats football just like TOP programs in the country do...whereas the BIG10 a few programs see that level of support, but schools like Indiana, Illinois, etc really live off a few schools efforts in that sport. When a few of the B10 bottom feeding programs start spending on coaches and facilities like the SEC does, the difference will really be seen.
If you look at Basketball, the SEC and B10 efforts are kind of flipped...the SEC Kentucky really goes all in on hoops, but many of the bottom feeding schools just do 'enough' to get by. The B10 in hoops, almost the whole conference puts a strong effort in their programs in order to win. I can only guess why the efforts aren't as balanced in football as it is in hoops, except that $$ spent on football can add up a lot quicker...
I guess as long as Indiana, Illinois, Minnesota, Northwestern etc (I'll give NW a pass, they do help the leagues 'GPA'
) .... keep getting big checks from the B10 TV Network, and an occasional Bowl Game check, don't see that changing. The additions of Maryland and Rutgers are 2 schools that have never been about big time football either...(how Kirk Ferentz at Iowa keeps getting his large checks amazes me)
But current coaching at tOSU, Sparty's, UoM, PSU, and hopefully the new guys at solid programs Wiscy & Nebraska will make a bright future.